This invention relates to eye protection devices such as sunglasses, windows, and windshields. Light absorbing eyewear and panels are in common use. Some of these automatically adjust their absorption properties to the level of ambient light. Such adjustment in the devices currently in use is achieved by a reversible photo-chemical or photo-physical process, which requires many seconds before the adjustment is effective. This slow response is inadequate for many applications. The present invention is a device that achieves the adjustment of the degree of light absorption in a matter of miliseconds. The effect of changes in light level is neutralised before the changes are noticed and before they have any detrimental effect. This invention offers effective eye protection in situations of rapidly changing light intensity such as are encountered when driving in and out of tunnels, flying in and out of cloud, and near lightning or nuclear explosion.